I’ve earned from working here, but more importantly, I’ve proven to myself that I can make a living if I have to.”
“In that case, when do you want to leave?”
“What?”
He smiled down at her, his eyes warm. “Sweetheart, I have a ship, remember? We can go wherever you want anytime you’re ready.”
She hadn’t expected him to agree so quickly, especially after she had been so insistent on the job. “But I thought… I thought Baralt was your friend?”
“He is my friend, just as Izzie and Polly and Saka are your friends. But none of those friendships are going to change just because we’re not here all the time. I will confess that I have been feeling restless as well.”
“Do you mean it? Really?” Her eyes filled with tears.
“Of course. I want my little bird to fly free.”
Excitement raced through her veins. “I can’t leave today. Or even tomorrow. But by the end of the week, I think I can have Saka ready to take over.”
“Then we will leave at the end of the week,” he said calmly and bent down to kiss her.
One week later, they were standing in the lounge of his ship, preparing to say goodbye. As thrilled as she was to be leaving, she knew she was going to miss her friends.
“I can’t say I’m going to miss that couch,” Saka said dryly. “It was nowhere near as comfortable as it looks.”
Everyone laughed, but Joan pulled the other female aside soon afterwards. “Are you sure about this? If you don’t want to stay, we can take you along.”
“Then who would run the restaurant?” Saka drawled.
“Screw the restaurant,” Joan said fiercely. “I want you to be happy.”
“I know. I’m just not sure it’s possible. At least not yet.” Saka smiled. It was a little wobbly, but it was far more genuine than any of her practiced smiles. “But I like running the restaurant. I like having a value other than my body. This is the right thing for me.”
“As long as you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”
Joan hugged her and Saka allowed it, patting her back awkwardly.
“I’ll even check in on Polly,” Saka promised when she stepped back.
“Thank you.”
Polly hadn’t come to say goodbye in person because she still didn’t feel comfortable near the port. After construction on the resort had been completed, she had accompanied Njkall when he returned to the caves. Life in the caves seemed to suit her, but her relationship with Njkall remained unchanged, and Joan wondered if the girl would ever realize that he was waiting for her.
Rummel too promised to check in on Polly, although he was much more sanguine about the girl’s future. “Just give her time,” he said gruffly. “She’s finding her way.”
She sighed and hugged him before he could duck away. Of course he grumbled, but she saw him grin as he went to talk to Varga. Her handsome mate, she thought with a sigh, admiring his tall, strong figure from across the room. As if he felt her gaze, he looked up, and their eyes met. Her clit gave an excited little throb. She couldn’t wait until they were alone…
“I’m going to miss you,” Izzie said with a sigh as she joined Joan, distracting her from her increasingly erotic thoughts.
“I’m going to miss you too. Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?”
Izzie laughed. “No, thanks. I’ve never been a big fan of traveling. Especially not now…”
Her hand dropped to her stomach, and Joan’s eyes widened. “Do you mean…?”
“Yes.” Izzie gave her a contented smile. “Will you come back when the baby is born?”
“Of course. We already planned on coming back to visit frequently, and I can’t think of a better reason.”
Baralt joined them, putting his arm around Izzie and studying her face carefully. “Are you all right? Not too tired?”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m just fine. Stop worrying. But we should leave so these two can be on their way.”
There was a flurry of goodbyes, and then the two of them were alone. The three of them, she amended, looking at George already curled in her basket.
Varga closed the door behind their guests and smiled at his mate, glad to see her looking so happy. “Are you ready?”
“Definitely.” She followed him into the small cockpit and he pulled her down on his lap.
“Where shall we go?” he asked.
“How about someplace warm? I think I’m ready to see something other than snow. Not Drahana hot,” she added hastily, “but somewhere tropical with trees and flowers and a beach. I suspect George would appreciate some warm weather as well.”
“It’s funny you should mention that,” he said slowly. He had received another message from Manam last night, and the Elginar had tracked a human to one of the ocean worlds.
“Why?”
“Someone mentioned one to me,” he said vaguely. He didn’t want to bring up the possibility of rescuing another human in case the information was incorrect.
She laughed. “It must be fate. What’s it called?”
“Mafana.”
“That sounds pretty. Mafana it is.”
As the ship rose into the air, she leaned forward, her arms lifting as if she was flying up with the ship. He would always make sure his little bird could fly, he resolved, and smiled as he set course for the future.
Author’s Note
Thank you so much for reading Joan and the Juggernaut! As soon as Varga showed up in Izzie, I knew I had to tell his story. And of course, Joan was the perfect match for him! She’s a heroine who’s very close to my heart – if you follow me on social media you know I love to cook – so I especially enjoyed giving her the happy ending she deserved.
Whether you enjoyed the story or not, it would mean the world to me if you left an honest review on Amazon – reviews are one of the best ways to help other readers find my books!
As always, I have to thank my readers for exploring this universe with me! Your support and encouragement make it possible for me to keep writing these books. As always, a special thanks to my beta team – Janet S, Nancy V, and Kitty S. Your thoughts and comments are incredibly helpful!
There are more stories to tell in the Alien Abduction universe – at least fifteen of them! – but I have some other things planned for the rest of 2020, including another Treasured by the Alien story – and a few surprises.
And up next – I’m returning to Mars for Serena and her giant cyborg in The Outlaw Cyborg. Time to find out the story behind your favorite not-quite-as-villainous-as-she-seems heroine! I’m also thrilled to announce that the entire Cyborgs on Mars series will soon be available on Audible!
Click here to pre-order The Outlaw Cyborg now on Amazon!
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Other Titles
The Alien Abduction Series
Anna and the Alien
Beth and the Barbarian
Cam and the Conqueror
Deb and the Demon
Ella and the Emperor
Faith and the Fighter
Greta and the Gargoyle
Hanna and the Hitman
Izzie and the Icebeast
Joan and the Juggernaut
The Alien Invasion Series
Alien Selection
Alien Conquest
Alien Prisoner
Alien Breeder
Alien Alliance
Alien Hope
Cosmic Fairy Tales
Jackie and the Giant
Cyborgs on Mars
High Plains Cyborg
The Good, the Bad, and the Cyborg
A Fistful of Cyborg
A Few Cyborgs More
The Magnificent Cyborg
The Outlaw Cyborg
Treasured by the Alien
Mama and the Alien Warrior
A Son for the Alien Warrior
Daughter of the Alien Warrior
About the Author
Honey Phillips writes steamy science fiction stories about hot alien warriors and the human women they can’t resist. From abductions to invasions, the ride might be rough, but the end always satisfies.
Honey wrote and illustrated her first book at the tender age of 5. Her writing has improved since then. Her drawing skills, unfortunately, have not. She loves writing, reading, traveling, cooking, and drinking champagne - not necessarily in that order.
Honey loves to hear from her wonderful readers! You can stalk her at any of the following locations…
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